New Delhi, Jun 9 (UNI) Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, inducted in cabinet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, had started his political career as Congress worker in 1970s but since has changed his loyalties on several occasions and lately after deserting JD(U), formed Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) in 2015, now a partner of ruling NDA.
Manjhi, who was born on October 6, 1944, in Mahkar village of Gaya district of Bihar in a very poor family from Dalit community, had worked as bonded labourer in his childhood.
After completing preliminary education from a local school, he graduated from Gaya College of Magadh University in 1962.
As a young boy he used to take active part in campaigning for Congress, which also ignited a political ambition within him but due to extreme poverty, he was forced to join as clerk in Post and Telegraph Department in 1968.
Later, he resigned from service and joined Congress and got an opportunity to contest on a party ticket from Fatehpur (reserved seat) in 1980 Bihar Assembly elections.
In 1983, he was inducted in cabinet by the then Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Singh. In 1985 he was elected again but lost the election in 1990 from his traditional Fatehpur seat.
He worked as Minister in cabinet of chief ministers Bindeshwari Dubey, Satyendra Narain Sinha and also led by others during RJD regime.
Manjhi had contested Lok Sabha elections from Gaya (reserved) seat on Congress ticket in 1991, but faced defeat. In 1995 Bihar assembly elections, he also lost from Fatehpur seat.
In 1996, he contested by-election on RJD ticket from Bodh Gaya seat and emerged victorious. In 2005 Bihar assembly elections, Manjhi was elected on JD(U) ticket from Barachatti seat and made minister by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He, however, had to resign within hours due to his alleged involvement in a corruption case.
In 2008, Chief Minister Kumar inducted him in his cabinet again.
He had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Gaya (reserved) seat on JD(U) ticket but lost. In May of that year, Kumar resigned from the Chief Minister’s post, owning moral responsibility for crushing defeat of his party in Lok Sabha elections and installed Manjhi as the new CM of Bihar.
Senior leaders of JD(U) were in favour of Nitish Kumar becoming chief minister again, but Manjhi was not prepared to pave the way for him in February 2015.
Ultimately, Manjhi was expelled by JD(U) and he was asked to prove majority of his government on floor of the House.
Sensing the fact that all party MLAs were in support of Kumar for becoming chief minister again, Manjhi stepped down as CM on February 20, 2015.
After resigning as chief minister, Manjhi floated a new party Hindustani Awam Morcha (secular), popularly known as HAM, which became a constituent of NDA.
In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, HAM became a constituent of Grand Alliance, which has now taken the shape of INDIA bloc. HAM had contested three seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections and lost all.
In 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Manjhi again became partner of NDA. He was elected on HAM ticket from Imamganj.
In August 2022, HAM remained with JD(U) of Chief Minister Kumar when he left NDA in August 2022 to join hands with RJD to form Grand Alliance government.
In June 2023, Manjhi left Grand Alliance and joined hands with BJP to become partner of NDA. When Kumar deserted Grand Alliance and joined hands with BJP again in January 2024 to form NDA government in Bihar, both Kumar and Manjhi became partners of same political conglomeration.
In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Manjhi won on HAM ticket from Gaya Lok Sabha seat and PM Modi inducted him in his cabinet.
It is first time in his long political career that Manjhi has become Lok Sabha member and also got an opportunity to serve the country as Union Minister.
